There is a world beyond this black world. There is a world of the possible. A world where Anne can be queen is a world where Cromwell can be Cromwell. He sees it; then he doesn't. The moment is fleeting. But insight cannot be taken back. You cannot return to the moment you were in before.
The quote reflects the complex interplay between ambition and possibility in "Wolf Hall." It suggests that there are alternative realities and outcomes that can unfold based on choices and perceptions. The idea that Anne Boleyn becoming queen can coexist with Thomas Cromwell's ambitions presents a vision of a dynamic world where power and influence can shift dramatically depending on decisions made in a moment.
This fleeting insight captures the essence of human experience, as once a person glimpses a potential reality, they cannot unsee it. Cromwell's struggle with understanding the implications of his surroundings illustrates the weight of ambition and the burden of time, reinforcing that awareness alters one's path irrevocably, leading to new possibilities that were previously unimaginable.
